The Maldives Nine (part two)

Nine people are on trial in the Maldives over an alleged plot to topple the government.

Their arrests, which have been condemned at home and abroad as politically motivated, followed a shock Supreme Court ruling that ordered the release of President Abdulla Yameen’sopponentsand the reinstatement of opposition lawmakers who had been stripped of their seats.

Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed is charged with unduly using his influence as chief justice to overthrow the government by putting national security and public safety at risk, and for taking millions of dollars in bribe to facilitate the coup plot by issuing the Supreme Court ruling. He has denied the charges. He was arrested after a military siege of the Supreme Court. He has been found guilty of obstructing state functions and sentenced to four months and 24 days in prison. He is also charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly refusing to hand over his mobile phone for a police investigation. He has been suspended from the bench and had his wages discontinued by the Judicial Service Commission after changes to the Judges Act.

Ilham Ahmed is charged with attempting an act of terrorism by overthrowing the government. He is accused of accepting bribes from Faris. Police began a manhunt for him a day before the Supreme Court ruling and relaunched it on February 9. He handed himself over to the police on February 12 after his wife was arrested and his family were harassed. His brother was also arrested. He was stripped of his parliamentary seat by a new anti-defection law after he left Yameen’s ruling party.

Abdulla Sinan is charged with attempting an act of terrorism by overthrowing the government. He is accused of accepting bribes from Faris. Police announced a manhunt for him a day before the Supreme Court ruling. He handed himself over to the police on February 9. He was stripped of his parliamentary seat by a new anti-defection law after he left Yameen’s ruling party.

Former police commissioner Ahmed Areef is accused of plotting to overthrow the government and has been in custody since March 6. He was sacked after he tried to execute the Supreme Court order, and is accused of trying to incite unrest by making changes to police operations and bringing together selected individuals to confront police officers on duty.